Guardian Angel
by GoneFishing-Cullenistic357
Summary: At six years of age, Jacob Black and Bella Swan are best friends. But when Jacob's mother dies, how will depression and terrifying events tear them apart? How will Jacob go on? How will be her savior? Bella's POV


Guardian Angel

Preface

"Bella…Bells. Come on, Bells, wake up!" a hold shook my shoulder. I groaned, sighed, and my eyes fluttered open. Charlie. He stood over me with a hard look on his face, patting my cheek. I sat up on my elbow, yawning, and scowling at him. It was 6am. I'm not ready to be up.

"Today's the day. We've got to get ready."

"Ready for what, dad?" I mumbled, still groggy.

"The funeral, remember, Bells?" he whispered, as if not to disturb a resting person…too late.

My dad patted my knee, and walked out, leaving me by myself. I looked to the closed door, staring at the black dress that hung on the back. Michelle Black is dead. My best friend's mom is…dead. I stared at my hands. I feel as if I had lost my mother. Michelle was practically family and now she was gone. I'd slipped into my tiny purple bathroom to fix myself up. After a good forty minutes in the shower, I stepped out and put my fuzzy pink terrycloth robe on. I slipped stepping out, leaving a loud thud to be heard throughout the house. Charlie yelled from his room.

"You okay, Bells???"

"Yeah, dad. I'm fine," I managed to squeak, gripping the counter to hoist myself up, and holding on to the towel rack for support.

Hopefully, I could get my hair looking as nice as when mom does my hair for me. I ran a brush through my dripping hair and put some of that hair product mom puts in mine to make it style easy. Then, I but rollers in it and dry it. It's very hard to believe that I managed to do this, seeing as how I am only six years old. I tiptoed into my room, hoping the floorboards wouldn't creak, and tightly closed my door. The window on the far side of my room was cracked open. No one had been in here, and I had not touched it at all. Peering across the room, I only see one single ladybug crawling slowly across the window sill. I slide the window wide open, make a wish, and let the ladybug fly away. _I wish I never had to grow up_. Charlie knocks at my door.

"Hey, kiddo. Be ready in twenty minutes!"

"Alright, dad!" I called, sliding the window shut.

I slipped the black dress on and tiny black shoes with a little a little bejeweled bow at the toe. I peeked from the top of the staircase to the kitchen below. Charlie was having a cup of coffee and constantly trying to straighten his tie. He sighed and furrowed his brow frustratingly. I stifled a giggle and slipped into the bathroom for the final touches. I remove the rollers, letting my chestnut-colored hair fall to the middle of my back. My curls were picturesque, bouncing and swaying beautifully when I moved. I took some pins mom had given me for last year's recital. They were silver long pins with tiny crystals on the end. I pulled my hair up to the top of my head, sliding the pins in place on both sides. I let the rest of my hair hang at my neck, and stuck earrings in my ears. My wall clock read 9:15 am. I still had five minutes. I glanced in the mirror, but that girl looked nothing like me. She looked like she belonged in a beauty pageant, but got lost on the way there and ended up here staring me in the face with the same awe-struck look. She grabbed her black purse, mimicking my movements. Then that moment, we both decided that it was time to come out of the bathroom. We turned off the light.

"Okay, dad, I am ready now." I said as I made my way down the stairs. Charlie sat his bagel down, dusting off his hands.

"Okay, Bells, then let's get goi―" but he stopped when he turned and looked at me. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks; I must be turning five shades of red.

"Oh, wow. Bella, you look…fantastic. Amazing. You're…You're growing up."

"Dad, stop it. You are embarrassing me! Can you help me tie this bow?" I say turning around showing him to ribbons hanging on either side of the dress.

"Sure, Bells." He tied them and turned me to face him. He got down on his knees so that his face was level with mine.

"Wow, I can't believe this. It seems just like yesterday I was holding your hand teaching you how to skate." He says getting choked up.

"Uh…dad? That was yesterday."

"Oh. Yes, of course. Ha-ha… but still, you look gorgeous."

"Thank you, dad."

He picks me up, hitching me on his hip as leave. Time for our final goodbyes….

Ch. 1

_Rain. It's so peculiar. I've never really felt the rain. _I watched intently as rain splattered on my window, like a million tiny, sorry diamonds, sad that they didn't sparkle like they were supposed to, and drowning out the world, making it a dull, dreary place. Poor lost little raindrops. We made it to the little green, lush field found on the La Push reservation. It was lined with flowers and a weeping willow sat itself perfectly behind the casket. I pressed my nose on the glass window, peering out into the open area. I could see Jake standing by his father who greeted people solemnly from his wheelchair. Jacob was nearly Billy's height in his wheelchair. He wore a black tuxedo jacket, blue button-down shirt, necktie that he constantly tugged at, just like Charlie, and white sneakers. Of course he'd wear sneakers. He never liked being proper and perfect, never the one to draw the lines straight. My dad walked around to my door with a big, black umbrella, while I unbuckled my seatbelt. He let me take a hold of it, and he jogged over to Billy, greeting his friend at patting his shoulder. Jacob spotted me and ran to me, enclosing me in a fierce hug. The kind of hug that you can't ignore. The kind that begs to be wanted, and loved. So I hugged back with the same level of wanting and loving. I clasped my arms around his neck, still holding the umbrella, sheltering us both from the rain. I could hear faint whispers of people looking in our direction. I look up to see pairs of women sitting in chairs under a tent, resting their hands on their hearts, sighing. Obviously, we'd stolen their hearts. They were whispering words like:

"Oh, they are so cute together!"

"Yes they are. They must be best friends. I hope they don't cause trouble…she may end up being nit-picky like her mother."

"It's such a tragedy what happened to him. Honestly, I feel a little bad for him. Looks like two ladies in his life wouldn't stay."

And so ended the hug. We walked up to the casket together. Though Michelle's black dress covered her body, it seemed like her chest was caving in. Her face was pale, lips slightly parted, eyes bruised and fragile-looking. I almost felt compelled to reach out and touch her, just to make sure she was real. But I didn't want to upset the many people watching, and I was afraid she might actually fall apart. I took Jacob's hand in mine. He looked at our interlocked fingers, then at my face. Tears gathered in his black eyes, spilling over the lid. My eyes welled up, too.

"Jacob, you know you don't have to be here if you don't want to," I whispered.

"You know, Bella," he choked, his voice quivering, "she never drew straight lines." He looked down. I struggled to speak, wiping tears from my cheeks.

"Jake―" I sighed, but he cut me off.

"You look really pretty today Bella." He said, smiling through his tears. I looked into his big black eyes, and was overtaken.

"You know you're kind of beautiful?" I cooed. He chuckled and squeezed my hand.

But our smiles soon disappeared when people took their seats and "Amazing Grace" began to play. I saw that Jacob was holding a rose. He clenched it tight in the fist that wasn't holding mine. It was a brilliant shade of red, covered in dew and briars but he didn't seem to mind. I quickly said a silently prayer and blew a kiss. Jacob's arm went limp and he dropped the rose. It only took us one glance before we took off running. There was a tree sitting beside the tent. No one paid us any attention. No one saw us circle around the tent, and climb the tree. It had a perfect view of the funeral, but no one would have to know where we were. No one would see us cry. I could see the Newton family. Mike Newton, 6 ½ years old, sat there, the funeral pamphlet folded and transformed into a paper hat, sitting atop his head, and using the end of the fan as a sword, poking Quill in the back of the neck. I chuckled softly. The sermon continued on. My legs dangled from the ledge I was perched on, and I looked over at Jacob who sat beside me, his arm tucked around my waist, with his chin resting on my shoulder. Things were easy with Jacob. We prayed when they prayed, we sang when they sang, and we watched the sky get darker. He truly was my best friend. I slid the pins out of my hair letting my chestnut ringlets hang loose. Jake's eyes widened.

"Gee, Bella, you're hair sure is getting long. I hope no one mistakes you for a mop." He chuckled as he twirled a strand of my hair.

"Wow, thanks Jake. I look pretty and I look like a mop? This day just gets better and better." I smiled.

The funeral finally ended and we climbed down from the tree. We saw the casket get loaded into the hearse. And then everyone was gone. I could see Charlie's car over at Billy's across the road. Everyone was gone. It was just me and Jacob. At that moment, the rain started again, pouring down heavily, but I didn't have my umbrella.

"You know, Jacob…this is my first time ever really feeling the rain."

"Really, Bella? Well, aren't you surprised that it feels like being fully dressed in a cold shower?" He said with fake perkiness.

"Can it, Mister." I scowled. "I'm not surprised. I've always wanted to stand in the rain. It feels great." I crooned, and sneezed.

"Yeah, but soon you're going to feel sick. Let's get you inside."

I looked at my reflection in a puddle. My long, wet curls were limp and weak, my hair stuck to the back of my neck and my cheeks. I was pale and soaked, my dress looking raggedy, and worn as it sagged on my body. My shoes were water-logged. My eyes were puffy and dark from crying and I sneezed again.

"Agreed." I giggled and we ran together in the night.


End file.
